The Porsche 911 GTS is The Hybrid You’ve Been Searching For

Every generation of Porsche 911 is, in the minds of a very enthusiastic fan base, defined in a particular way. The car models all draw or have drawn from an amazing heritage. Yet they have such different personalities that people often yearn for specific models that non-enthusiasts just don’t understand. That doesn’t even include the model numbers past the decimal point. This new one, for example, is known as the 992.2 911. How different is it from the 992.1? Or the 992?

There are a few subtle differences and there is a really big one. The subtle differences are in the consistent development of technologies and applications that allow more power, more control, more ability to look like you don’t have control (think drift mode), and increasing numbers of options and choices that can be made.

The big difference? You can have a hybrid. The Porsche 911 GTS (Gran Turismo Sport, so it’s a usable GT car with a bit of added oomph) has a hybrid powertrain. Now, the GTS was, for many, the more usable yet enthusiast-oriented of the different variants within the model line since it became a badge in 2010. 

When the Cayenne got a GTS badge, it moved up to some serious handling. And this is different from the smaller run specials like club editions and purist manuals and touring models. The GTS was the sweet spot for many, not too hardcore like the GT3s but a good bit more than the standard cars. So how does a hybrid fit in with all that?

For one, many brands put smaller engines in with their hybrids. It’s a way to get more power with less fuel consumption or emissions. Here, the “standard” 911 Carrera gets a 3-liter flat six with that wonderful Porsche boxer sound out the rear, a relatively linear power delivery that can still excite you and get you into trouble. So what do they do with their hybrid? For one, they start with 3.6 liters of boxer goodness, and they turbocharge it. This is where the Porsche interpretation of an electric hybrid changes. 

The T-Hybrid here is different from traditional hybrids, even from Porsche’s other (non-T) Hybrids. They use electric power to basically boost boost. The electric power is used within the turbo system. This adds power but also can smooth out the delivery of that power. Remember that the first Porsche Turbos were considered widowmakers. 

This helps control that tail-happiness even more than they already have by lessening the spikes. Clearly, they weren’t exactly looking primarily for emissions control or better fuel consumption numbers with this hybrid, and all of this in a powertrain package that is actually smaller than the 3-liter of the Carrera. The GTS, they say, is now a technological spearhead in addition to being a sleek athletic sportscar.

What we have then with the new Porsche 911 (the 992.2) is the continuation of a bloodline that was remarkably pure of vision from day one, but has evolved and indeed grown in everything from power and ability and usability and safety to sheer size. You can get the modern interpretation of Porsche in coupes like the 911 Carrera, but within that choice you have multiple options available. 

The car is arguably the best sportscar platform out there, yet is extremely customizable and tunable. And from there, you can move upwards with body choices (cabriolet or targa?) and a whole plethora of interior choices (leather? vegan? classic Porsche cloth pattern?), wheel options, and more.

The GTS T-Hybrid will now appeal to the driver who wants a higher level of (grand touring) usability and comfort while still keeping certain handling parameters. As arguably the most technologically cutting-edge of the 911 family, it brings a whole area of passion into the mix for those who may be more interested in adopting the new technology early but still within the more classic Porsche interpretation. Plus, having a hybrid that corners like a go-kart and takes off like a rocket? That’s a nice draw, too.

This article originally appeared in the Premiere Issue of Robb Report Philippines.